When you have free time, what type of toys do you like to play with? Do you prefer sporting goods, such as balls and bats? Perhaps you're more of a racingfan and you reach for the miniature cars and trucks?

Whether it's Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider Man, or the cast of the latest Star Wars movie, action figures fly off the shelves of toy stores and into the anxious hands of kids and toy collectors alike. But how did we become so fascinated by playing with miniature moving models of movie characters and superheroes?

If you enjoy action figures, then there's one person you need to thank: Barbie. That's right! That perkydoll that appeared in 1959 became an instant — and longstanding — success with children all over the world.

Barbie's popularity as a girl's doll led toy manufacturers to try to come up with something that would be just as popular with boys. A man named Stan Weston did just that. His idea: a soldier doll with a variety of military uniforms and accessories, like weapons, tanks, and vehicles.

Weston sold his idea to toy manufacturer Hasbro for $100,000 at the 1963 Toy Fair. In 1964, the G.I. Joe "action figure" made its debut. The original G.I. Joe action figure featured 21 moving parts and stood 12 inches tall.

G.I. Joe originally had uniforms that represented the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. As the toy grew in popularity, it was produced for other nations around the world with uniforms representing their armed forces.

G.I. Joe remains a popular action figure today. He was even inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2004. According to a poll conducted by the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, G.I. Joe was voted the most popular toy of the last century.

Most modern action figures are much smaller than 12 inches tall. The switch to smaller action figures occurred in the 1970s when the worldwide oil crisis restricted supplies of raw materials, forcing manufacturers to scale down action figures to approximately 3.75 inches. The first smaller action figures to gain mass popularity were the Star Wars action figures made by Kenner Products that hit store shelves in 1976.

Today, action figures can be found in all sorts of varieties. From popular characters in cartoons, television shows, and movies to sports stars, musicians, and even politicians, action figures are as popular as ever with both kids and collectors. Some collectible action figures can even be worth thousands of dollars!

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Try It Out

Are you ready to play? Ask a friend or family member to join you as you explore the following fun activities:

Ask an adult friend or family member to take you on a field trip to a local toy store. Browse the aisles in search of action figures. How many different types of action figures can you find? If you can, make a list. Where do the action figure characters come from? Keep track of all the different sources you come across. If you've been saving up your chore money, feel free to buy an action figure to play with at home!

Why is it fun to play with action figures? If you're an action figure fan, then you probably already know that they help you imagine what it would be like if your favorite movie, cartoon, and superhero characters came to life. For an artistic look at this imaginative side of action figures, check out Action Figures Come to Life in Stunning Images by Japanese Photographer online. What clever photo ideas can you dream up for your action figures?

Do you have any old action figures? Are any of them collectible? Could they be worth any money? Maybe! Read through Top Ten Most Expensive and Valuable Action Figures to learn more about some unique action figures that are worth some serious cash today!